4 Tips For Using Men’s Face Masks

Wednesday, January 2, 2019 9:39:04 AM Europe/London

Skincare delves deep into many different categories and to someone new, this can be quite overwhelming. But, it doesn’t need to be. With just a little research and dedication, you’ll go from a beginner to expert in no time! For you guys out there who are already familiar with face masks, have a little read and educate yourself,, after all - you might find something out that you weren’t aware of. For those fresh faced (well after the mask you will be) newbies, delve a little deeper and be inspired to get the most out of your brand new face mask.

For you newcomers, face masks in general are a literal mask that covers either, the entirety, or sections of your face safely. Face masks are made up from different raw, natural and synthetic ingredients, to help clear, hydrate, soothe, energise, stimulate, purify and tighten your skin. As the skin on your face is thinner than the rest of your body, ensure you only use a mask that is specifically formulated for the face. Depending on the strength, you’ll find some men's face masks may give you a tingly effect. So, using a mask 1-2 times a week is recommended. Always do a patch test [behind your ear is a great place] to guarantee that your mask will not irritate or inflame your skin. Everybody’s skin is different, so its important to be wise and test before applying.

Face masks are fun and great to use! There are vast choices to choose from and you’ll soon find one that gives you amazing results. Use the four top tips below, to provide yourself a better masking experience. MMUK MAN have recently released our own botanical face mask and if you’re looking to add one of these to your bathroom weaponry, there’s no better product in this male cosmetic category to try first.

Use A Masking Brush

This magical sounding item is quite simply a brush used to paint the mask onto your face. Much like a painter or makeup artist, this type of tool is used for ultimate precision and even application over your boat race. In the long-run, this is the most cost effective way to use a men’s face mask, as you can generally make your product last longer. By using your fingers to apply a face mask, you run into the interference of clumping and you’ll find you end up washing a good portion of the mask down the sink. This can be avoided by using a brush applicator. You’ll find the beauty market has many options of masks available, including squeezable tubes, sachets and pot varieties. For those in a non-potted dispenser, just squeeze a small dollop into a clean bowl and use a clean brush to apply it to your skin. By using this technique, you’ll even find it possible to stretch a one-use mask sachet into two separate uses. To clean the brush, use warm water and a mild soap to stop it gathering bacteria. You can also use a tea tree style cleanser to work into the bristles to act as an anti-bacterial astringent. Simply wash through with water afterwards and allow the brush to drip dry upside down.

Use One After A Shower Or Bath

A hot and steamy bath or shower will open the pores on your face and make it easier to gently exfoliate your face with a mask. Your skin reacts to temperature changes, hence why you should have a different skin care routine during the colder months and a specialised routine for the warmer times of year. Your pores will react to contact with warm steamy air or water. This will encourage your skin to get rid of excess substances found within it. Using a men’s face mask after a good soak in the bath or steamy shower will open the gates on your face - allowing for deeper extraction from a mask. Any debris, dirt, oil and nasty pollutants that have made their home deep within your skin will soften in structure. A clay type mask will help any loosened residue lift out from the face, leaving your skin much clearer and brighter. Remember to ensure you remove the mask once finished with lukewarm water. Room temperature water allows you to gently remove the mask without irritating the skin underneath. Any hotter and you risk inflaming your skin, whilst cold water will not break down the molecules in the clay. This will then leave you having to pull the mask off your face and will ultimately heighten the risk of damaging the skin cells beneath.

The Aftermath - Toning & Moisturising

Ensure you have removed the mask correctly and safely to leave your skin looking healthy. A toner-soaked cotton wool pad is an excellent option to help clear any missed mask from the crevasses of your face. Whilst applying one will help prepare the skin for moisturising, which is key to promoting supple and hydrated skin. Face masks are great to use and it’s clay ones in particular that will absorb not only oils and dirt, but excess water from the skin too. It is imperative that you moisturise straight after washing the mask from your skin. Otherwise, your skin will begin to dry out and become taut and tight. Skin toners are the pre-applicator to give your moisturiser a better chance at going deeper into the skin. They also leave a safeguarded, veil-like protection over the skin that helps to keep the skin clean and clear for longer. They will activate your skin and enhance the benefits from the moisturiser applied afterwards. Moisturising locks in further hydration deep within the skin and provides a thicker barrier from naturally occurring aggressors, such as temperature and elemental damages. Masking is fantastic but it naturally leaves you skin vulnerable and naked to the elements. So, even after the enjoyment of having a face mask on, its wise to take the time to provide protection to the skin afterwards.

Water, Hydration and Moisture

In a nutshell, water provides life. You can’t survive without it. One trick to encourage the better performance of your skin is the act of keeping hydrated. You’ll find dramatic differences in results, if you use a clay-based mask and choose to drink water before applying and again afterwards than you would if you just applied the mask alone. Without it, your body will already be a little dehydrated. Clay is naturally used for its absorption properties and in face masks it is brilliant at extracting dirt and grime for the skin. However, it also sucks moisture from the skin too and if your skin is already barren from lack of hydration, it will leave your skin feeling much tighter than it was before masking. Choose to drink water 30 minutes before using a mask and again once the mask has been removed and you’ll certainly see better results. Without water, your skin will be clear, but extremely tight looking. You’ll find this uncomfortable as your skin dries and becomes flaky. After using water, your skin will still remain rejuvenated, but will be plumper and more elastic. You’ll have no pain when moving your face around and the moisture in your skin will leave you with a dewy glow look.